


Mother Issues, Part 1; What can be said?

by justinsbuzz



Series: Homeworld Aftermath Arc [6]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 16:46:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15689412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justinsbuzz/pseuds/justinsbuzz
Summary: After Steven gets his arm and leg stung by a corrupted gem jellyfish, It's up to Dr. Maheswaran to try to find a way to treat Steven while a Storm Blows in. Amethyst and Peridot go on the hunt for the corrupted gem, only to bump in to an old friend. Meanwhile, Dr Maheswaran, Connie, and Steven have a heart or heart, where Connie gets put in between a boy who never had a mom, and a mom who is misunderstood.





	Mother Issues, Part 1; What can be said?

**Author's Note:**

> number 6 out of 8 stories left in this arc. definitely not as long as the last story 'Vacation Introspection, part 2; The Island, The Stars, and The Universe', but it's a heavy one. hopefully in future works they wont be as long. i got caught up in writing this one a bit longer than i should have. i honestly have no words for something like this. it's the opposite of a fluff piece. I don't even know what tags to give this. its alot of drama, a lot of issues coming out, and a lot of rain. man I'm tired.

The past couple of days were spent hiking throughout the island, in hopes of finding the lost tribe of watermelon Steven's. But in their search, all they found were the ruin village, the broken statue of the first watermelon Steven, and a few figurines that looked a little like Connie when she had longer hair. Steven planned to give Connie one that wasn't too broken, only to have Connie find one that was borderline pristine and had given it to him to add to his teddy bear collection. They also spent some time in Stevens bubble under the ocean, eating the last two sandwiches they had. All in all, it was still the best vacation he's ever gone on. He and Connies' feet were sore from hiking all over the island, that as an act of kindness, Steven and Amethyst had surprised Connie with an artificial wading pool dug up by both Steven and Amethyst that morning. Amethyst, Steven, and Connie were hanging out on the southern shore of the island, with their feet dunked into it. Much of the morning was spent relaxing, while talking about some new changes that had occurred a few days before.

“So that's what that sound was!” Connie exclaimed to Amethyst. “I honestly never thought a gem could scream that loud. I honestly don't know how you can speak if you're mostly light, but still, I didn't know.”

“You can't really blame me, could you? It was all too obvious.” Amethyst said with her sloshing around a bit in the water. “I didn't see Sour Cream wanting to take sword lessons. And I didn't see anyone else wanting to jump on board an alien ship to go to Homeworld without a weapon. Even Ronaldo was too afraid to go anywhere near the leg ship, and he craves that king of stuff. I think he might have been scarred for life now after everything with the diamonds. And I'm joking about that, Steven.”

Stevens eyebrows raised slightly at the thought of Ronaldo being completely turned off to anything alien, or supernatural. If anything, Ronaldo would just be more annoying now than he ever was before. And if he went to go bug the Diamonds, Steven was sure that Yellow would see how many times Ronald would skip on the water after Yellow tosses him towards the ocean. His thought began to go toward the Diamonds, and the new gems from Homeworld. The thought of being called Pink Diamond, or Rose Quartz. He snapped out of it the moment Connie rested her hand onto his.

“Well, I think I was trying to be subtle about it. Didn't want to make a big deal about my feelings. I just thought that if I went with the flow, it would lead to me telling him eventually.” said Connie, talking about the two confessing their feelings to each other a few nights ago. Lion eventually came around to see what everyone was up to, and ended up laying down between Connie and Amethyst.

“So now that the real cat is out of the bag” Amethyst started saying, trying to push Lions listlessly waving tail away from her face “what does this mean now? Are you guys going to be at the temple making out? Late night phone calls? Alone time in Roses Room? I'm just trying to figure out what level of romance will I be dealing with here, and how often will I get a chance to embarrass Steven?”

Steven fell on his back groaning, while his feet still stay in the shallow pool. A wave of humiliation had knocked Steven over, as the first of many instances of Amethyst embarrassing him in front of Connie had struck him. Connie came to the rescue with some logic.

“I don't think some of those things will happen any time soon.” Connie said “I mean, it's not like things are going to change dramatically. Maybe call some of the times we hang out as 'Dates', and say 'I love you' from time to time. And being more open and not shunning others out, But things will still be the same. Kind of. But as for trying to embarrass him, it wont work.”

“Well, it was less about scaring you off, and more about keeping up with my new older sister duties. Steven.” Said Amethyst, sloshing some water towards Steven.

“Being an older sister doesn't really mean you should find time to embarrass me.” Steven told Amethyst, while laying down and being too tired to get up. “Sometimes, being an older sister just means you watch out for others, or being there for those who need you the most.”

“Killjoy” Amethyst jokingly retorted.

“You'll still get your chances, Amethyst. You just have to be patient and wait for the right time.” Connie stated, while catching Steven off guard at this form of betrayal. “It would be all for nothing though. I don't think embarrassing him would do anything you make me not love him.”

“How is this helping?” Steven asked Connie with a sense of helpless concern in his voice.

“It's nothing to worry about, Steven. I was just joking. Plus we know that it's Pearl who's going to do most of the embarrassment. And maybe Blue.” Amethyst said reassuringly. Steven and Connie knew that to be true. Pearl means well, but she could be a bit overbearing. Blue Diamond, on the other hand, is a wild card in all of this.

“Blue.....I just realized that were out of sandwiches, and getting low on granola and protein bars. I should try fishing again.” Steven said in realization that he may have to go back home soon, something he wasn't looking forward in doing any time soon. He wasn't ready to be called someone that he really isn't. And he doubts the house would be repaired by now. They may have done a total overhaul, and Steven and the group has been only gone for 5 days. Advance gems or not, building a new house would take longer than 5 days.

Steven went to the western side of the island with some string and worms he was able to track down. The thought of using a spear on the fish seem a bit terrifying to him. This was mask island. Everything there had a mask, and the masks show emotion. In reality, Steven felt like he needed some time by himself. He knew Connie was worried about him. He knew Amethyst is trying to watch over him with good intentions. And Peridot, well, she came for almost the same reasons. They just wanted to get away from the crazy that was home. A new form of guilt began to grow inside him. Just another one in a long line of mistakes he's made. He didn't want Connie to know about it, because it's not as easy as it seems to get rid of it.

The spot he found was secluded, and was promising to find some fish. These rocky shallows were the spot where Sadie nearly got her forearm bitten off by a 20lb fish. Maybe he might get lucky and grab a few small ones, as an alibi to show others that he wasn't just sneaking off to be alone. He tied the other end of the string to his big toe, casted off the line further out into the waters, and began to wait on a flat piece of stone that seem to be new. But after 20 minutes, he hasn't gotten any bites, but instead trying to figure out how to get rid of the guilt, and also watched as a thin sliver of gray clouds on the horizon. They began to grow minute by minute, but Steven wasn't sure if they were going towards the island or not. The silence was broken by Amethyst walking up to him.

“Hey Steven. How goes the grocery shopping?” Amethyst asked jokingly. But after looking at a contemplative Steven, her face showed concerned for him. “Um, is this a good time? I can come ba-”

“No.” Steven responded before she could finish. He decided to have some company. Anything would be better than having to deal with his own thoughts. “you can hang out. I think I need to ask you something.”

“What's up?” Amethyst asked, sitting down near another rock right next to Steven.

“Why...did you come here. Really? Was it just to keep an eye on me, or maybe just needed to get a break?” Steven asked

“Well, it wasnt really just to keep an eye on you. Homeworld was rough on all of us. I never knew I could use my whips as creatively as I did in some of those fights. I was poofing nearly 10 gems a minute. It was worse than fighting Jasper. I fought to get as many people out as possible. Knowing I couldnt protect Garnet and Pearl was painful, but they wanted me to go with connie anyway.” Amethyst answered in an indirect way.

“So it was just to relax?” Steven asked.

“Well, not just to relax either. It wasn't like a shorty like me could actually help at all. The Famethysts' get me, but the others...the aquamarines, the topazes, even the Peridots....they just saw what was on the outside. I came to try to forget about Homeworld, and to stay out of everyones way, and to hang out with my best buds. And to keep an eye on you and Connie, because I promised Greg and Doug I would. I know you needed some space, but I didn't want to leave you and connie hanging. You both went through a lot of stuff this summer, and She actually wanted to come along for you, and I tagged along.” Amethyst answered more directly.

“So I dragged her along as well?” Steven said in a depressed tone.

“You dragged no one here Steven. If anything, we kind of felt like we might have been crowding on you.” a voice came from behind them. “Isolating yourself isn't good. And after everything that happened this summer, did you really think I was going to let you out of my sight?”

Connie was walking up to the rock that Steven had been laying down on. She looked down at Steven, matching eye contact with him. Still no bites from fishes, but seem to be attracting concerned friends and loved ones.

“Steven. If you want us to leave you be, its OK. to say so. But if its because of guilt-”

“Its not something that can go away too easily, Connie.” Steven blurted out.

“I know that Steven. Some things don't go away easily. They stick around in your head like pieces of chewed up bubble gum. Talking it out might help, even if it's too hard to do.” Connie said reassuringly. “We're here, but also, we're here for eachother.”

It just dawned on Steven that he never asked Amethyst or Connie about how they were handling it. Rose Quartz, the Diamonds, Homeworld. The guilt grew, and he knew Connie was right about how to ease it.

“Connie? Amethyst? How are you two holding up? About everything?” Steven asked. Connie laid down on the opposite side of the flat sheet of rock, nearly laying right next to him. Steven began to feel nervous.

“Honestly Steven, the entire time, I've been worried about you. I always am. But after....some of the things that happened earlier this summer, I began to look inward into myself. After everything I've been through in the past, I seemed to be well adjusted to everything. Probably because of moving around a lot made me feel more self adjusted. As to how I am doing, I think I'm doing OK.” Connie answered selectively. “I may be a human who just went to an alien planet with my best friend and his extended family, went on a rescue mission, and survived a total, planet wide rebellion. I don't know how to really answer your question. I just know that if you're OK, then I feel OK. And if you're feeling guilty and lost in thought, then I'm feeling like that too.”

“Love is strange. Even for humans.” Amethyst chimed in

“What about you, Amethyst? How are you holding up?” Steven asked as he sat up to look in the water to see if there were any fish at all. None were to be found.

“Well. I'm with Connie on this one. As long as I'm at your side, and you have my back, then I'm alright. To be honest, I get along better with you than I did with Pearl and Garnet, even after nearly 4500 years. And I feel....guilty about it.” Amethyst said, opening up more than she ever did. “it's probably because I'm from here, and they aren't. We may be gems, but it seems like those two fought for rose, while I fought for the earth. That was the one thing it seemed we all have in common. And now, knowing that one common thing is gone, I cant connect with them as well as I use to. We could fuse, but that seems to be as far as it goes.”

“Amethyst....”Steven started to say, before seeing something unusual in the water. It looked like a strange gem. It seemed to be just floating above the water. Steven put his feet into the water to reach in and pick it up, but was suddenly shocked with pain at his feet and ankles. The pain was so excruciating to the point that Steven screamed at the top of his lungs. Whatever this pain was, it was coming from something that was sticking to his feet. It looked to be like a very translucent jelly fish with a gem stuck in it. Much like the invisible gem monster that lived their before, the jellyfish was as invisible. Steven reached down to pull it off and fling it back into the water, only to have his right hand being stung as well. He didn't know where he threw it, but just knew it was gone.

Amethyst and Connie panicked and scrambled to see what had happen. All they saw was Stevens legs turning slightly purple.

“Steven! What happened?!” Amethyst shouted loudly while pulling out a whip instinctively. Connie, on the other hand saw his legs and automatically knew he was stung by a jellyfish. It had happened to her when she was seven years old in Ocean City, and it was something she never forgotten. She eventually wore rain boots to the beach ever since, or at least until she met Steven. 

“Jellyfish.” Connie spoke with fear in her voice. “It was a jellyfish.”

“It had a gem in it!” Steven howled in pain. As he writhed around on the sheet-rock, Amethyst knew that it might have been a corrupted gem. And if it attacked Steven, then there was no telling what's going to happen to him. They carried him back to the camp as carefully as they could. Stevens eyes were welling up with tears as they laid him down on his sleeping bag. Steven began to gasp for air as he was trying to keep it together. Connie remembered her time getting stung, and what it did to her, but what was going on with Steven was definitely not normal. She couldnt bear seeing Steven like this. She knew what she had to do. She kissed Steven on the forehead and pulled the tent flaps open, making her way outside. 

“I'll be right back, Biscuit! Amethyst, keep an eye on him! I'm going for help!” Connie spoke with determination before whistling for Lion. Lion bounded out of the jungle with a strange lizard in his jaws. Lion dropped it when Connie jumped on to him.

“Connie! Where are you going?! Who are you getting?! Connie?!” Steven yelled out to her, but she was gone. 

Steven dreaded what was going to happen now. To Steven, the best case scenario would be that Pearl and Garnet would have reformed and would be coming back with Connie. The worse case scenario would be that she come back at all. Second or third to worse case scenario, she bring her mom.  
Connie told Steven that her mom doesn't hate him, but he wasn't too convinced. He knows she's not as well adjusted or as open minded as Connie. But the pain in his legs and hand had overcame the dread of having Priyanka freaking out over a mutant jellyfish, or just seeing how bad his wounds are, now that they have black streaks on top of purple swelling.

5 minutes past, then ten. Steven was wincing in pain as Amethyst held his uninjured hand, feeling Steven squeezing as hard as the pain he was feeling. Amethyst is a tough nut, but she could ultimately sense the pain Steven was feeling. She couldn't help but shed tears for her little brother, who's in so much pain. Peridot sat at the other end of the geode tent, looking on nervously, and thinking about what the corruption did to Jasper. The thought of having to do to one of her closest friend what she did to Jasper terrified her. She began to tear up as well. How could a perfect vacation turn into this. 

The small storm that was off in the distance had now become an imminent squall, looking to only be about 15 minutes away. And by the time Lion returned, it had made landfall. With rain coming down hard. Steven, Amethyst, and Peridot could already hear rushing footsteps and someone calling out to them.

“I'M COMING, STEVEN!” yelled a familiar voice. It wasn't Connie though. Someone pulled open the tent flaps, and entered. A tall, somewhat imposing woman wearing a wind breaker and carrying a bag with a red cross on it. It was Connies' mom, Dr. Maheswaran. Connie and Lion entered in toe with her. She looked down at Steven, and then directly at his legs, and hand. Her face went from concerned to total determination, dropping the bag near Stevens' feet getting down on her knees and assessing the situation. She pulled out some hydro-cortisone cream, and a bottle of vinegar.

“Steven, honey, I wont lie, this is going to hurt a bit. Connie, get Stevens' shirt off and hold on to his hand, Amethyst, try to hold his legs down. And Steven, It's going to be OK!” Dr. Maheswaran told everyone. 

Her commanding voice held weight as Amethyst gently held down Stevens' thighs, and Connie gripped Stevens hands tightly, brushing his hair soothingly. There were tears in her eyes as well. She gently whispered to Steven that everything is going to be OK. A few seconds later, Steven felt a stinging sensation on his legs, nearly hurting as bad as it did before. The doctor gently applied the vinegar on his legs to rinse off the area. Amethyst looked on, trying to figure out if any of this is either working, or if she's just doing this as a sick joke. Amethyst never liked doctors to begin with. But she still held Stevens' legs down.

“I'm sorry Steven. This is only going to hurt a little while longer. Just hand in there, honey. You're going great.” Priyanka told Steven in a reassuring and caring voice. She had never seen a jellyfish sting this bad in all her years. Especially ones that causes black lines under the skin. Deep down, she was growing very concerned. The vinegar application was complete, and the area was rinsed off as well as it could be. Steven had begun to cry as the treatment went on. All of his best friends began to console him as Priyanka continued to try to heal him. But even after using the hydro-cortisone cream, the redness only went away a little bit. The black marks remained. She turned to everyone with a deeply concerned face.

“OK, I need someone to tell me what happened to him. This is definitely not the usual jellyfish sting. What got him?!” she asked everyone sternly. Connie and Amethyst explained that it was a translucent jelly fish that attacked him, and it was hard to properly describe. This didn't help things much, but the moment that they mentioned that it had a gem in it, she knew it was beyond her scope. She didn't want to loose a patient, let alone one of Connies best friends. She turned her attention to Amethyst and Peridot.

“This seems to be in your area. Gem monsters, bites, scratches, stings, is there any remedy at all to cure it? Any treatment? Any.....crystals?” she demanded, being very unsure about the last part.

“There.....Theres a place we can take him, a fountain.” Amethyst told Priyanka. “But we wont be able to carry him there. Not with the storm outside.”

The squall was hitting harder than it did before. The rain and wind began to pick up outside, nearly blowing the tent flaps off before Peridot jumped up to secure it as well as she could.

“And even then, I don't think Lion could carry us all. The only way there would be the warp pad, and it's still down.” Peridot called back to the group. “I can try to get it up and running, but I wont be able to do it myself. I might need just Amethyst to help. Connie can stay here with you, ma'am.”

It was agreed among everyone that this was the only way to go. Peridot and Amethyst left to the warp pad, but not without nailing down the repurposed tent to the ground as well as the rock. The tent flaps were drum tight. Steven was still in tremendous amount of pain. Connie could only look on helplessly and hold Stevens' hand as Priyanka worked on his other hand. Steven was trying to grit and bear the pain, but sometimes gasps and winces of any sort of movement. Moments passed, and Steven was slowly stabilizing. The purple color on his legs and hand were toned down to a bright blushing red, but the black lines remained. But it was only after Priyanka had given Steven a shot to reduce the pain when Steven began to regain some consciousness.

“Connie.....Dr. Maheswaran......I'm sorry.....” Steven quietly moaned. Connie was still holding Stevens' hand tightly, while Priyanka was monitoring his vitals. They both looked concernedly at Steven, there were no need for apologies.

“Steven, there's nothing to be sorry for. The jellyfish on the other hand has a lot to answer for doing this to you. But-” Priyanka tried to reassure Steven but Steven continued.

“I never should have roped anyone into this. Into any of this....I'm sorry. Its my...” Steven was weaving in and out of consciousness.

“Steven!” Connie gasped sternly, trying to hold back tears. “What did we say about that? What did we talk about before? None of this is you're doing. I came along with you the entire time. Going after Lapis, training to sword fight, fighting monsters, being by your side the entire time, it was my choice. My choice, Steven! And you're going to be OK. You will be OK! Doctors orders! Right mom?”

Connie looked back at her mother, wanting her to demand that Steven to be OK. But Steven pointed to Priyanka, and spoke.

“You don't have to......to help a....freak like...me....” Steven spoke to Priyanka. She grew both highly concerned and somewhat offended as to what he said.

“That's no way to talk about my daughters best friend. Thats no way to talk about yourself, Steven.” Priyanka spoke sternly to Steven while gently putting a hand on his shoulder. 

“It's.....what you....think..” Steven was still out of it as he spoke to her. 

“Far from it Steven!” Priyanka growled, but took a few breaths. “Steven. That's the pain talking. And when we get through this, when you get better, and YOU will get better, we're going to have to have a talk about all of this. It's not right to assume such things about other people, young man! Its-” 

Priyanka wiped a tear away from her cheek as she kept a steady voice.

“It's....its going to be OK. Steven. Everything is going to be OK. Everything.”

Connie looked at her mom as one of her hands was grasping Steven's shoulder, the other hand was slightly shaking. Connie never seen her looked so concerned for another patient like this. She thought her bedside manner could have used a little work, but this was far different. She was looking at Steven like he was close family member. Almost like she was looking at her own child. Like he was Connie.

The rain and wind was dying down. Steven had stopped talking. The swelling had cone down, and the redness was subsiding, but the black marks were still there, and they had begun to move up to his thighs and up his right arm. but he was still breathing, and his eyes were open. At this rate, the corruption might spread to either his heart, or his gem, within half an hour. A few moments later, the rain stopped, and the flaps ripped open. The afternoon sunlight glowed in and a tall, slender woman stood in the doorway. A sight for sore eyes, Lapis. With her is Peridot and Amethyst, ready to move Steven out and onto the warp pad. Steven could only remember muted voices and being carried off on his sleeping bag by a tall, imposing woman with tears in their eyes.

Priyanka had picked up Steven with strength that even Connie didn't know she had. Even with the swelling down, having Steven moving around might end up causing the corruption to spread through his veins, and into his gem. Carrying him was the only way to keep him alive and stave off the corruption. They had to move fast, but move carefully all the same, it was still the jungle.

They made it to the warp pad when Connie just realized that this was her mom's first time using it.

“Mom. Quick warning: this is going to get weird. Just hold on to Steven really tight, and we'll make it through.” She told her mom, who nodded in understanding. Connie's attention turned to Peridot.

“Have you tested to see if this thing will work?” Connie asked as everyone piled on to the pad.

“Of course I did.” Peridot answered in a professional manner.

“and did everything work correctly?” Connie asked in a rush before they warped out.

“I'll let you know when the final test finishes.” Peridot answered. And before anyone else could scream at Peridot, Amethyst had initiated the warp to Roses fountain. And through the entire time, Connie saw that her mom's face looked stoic and determined, even though they are traveling by light, through a bubble dimension. She looked over at Stevens legs and arms. The black lines were creeping up on Stevens' shoulder. They are cutting it really close. They're not even sure this would work. This could be the end of Steven. Tears were rolling down her face.

Once they landed on the other end, Amethyst and Lion made a bee line to the fountain entrance, leading the way for others. Once they got to one of the corners of the fountains edge , Priyanka spoke up.

“OK, Amethyst, how does this work?” Priyanka asked Amethyst

“you just have to dip him in slowly. Maybe feet first?” Amethyst answered unsure of this plan.

“you're not sure, are you?!” Priyanka responded in shocked disbelief.

“I never did this before! This had NEVER happened to anyone I've known except myself, and that was for a cracked gem. Corruption plays by a possible different set of rules here, and we don't have time to argue!” Amethyst roared at Priyanka. 'This was no time for a shouting match with some short, purple, troll.' thought Priyanka. It was now or never.

“OK fine! You, and the blue and green one get into the water. I'm going to need you to help me lower him in. Connie, I'll need you to help keep Stevens head above the water. Get into positions everyone!” she ordered everyone.

Amethyst, Peridot, and Lapis got into the water, while Connie went to her moms side to hold Stevens' head up. At this point, Steven had passed out from the pain, his eyes closed. It was unsure how any of this would go, if it would hurt. Priyanka gently lowered Stevens' body into the water, where Lapis, Amethyst, and Peridot were to help lower him in. his feet entered first, and then the rest of his legs. His lower and upper half of his body was submerged as well, along with his arms. Connie held the back and side of Steven's head as so he wont be totally submerged. His eyes were still closed, and nothing happened at first. Connie looked on in distraught, tears landing on Stevens' head but trying to keep it together. She kept telling Steven to wake up. If Steven was still in there, he would know what was going on. He would see what everyone was doing. He would see that everyone wanted him to come back and be OK. But for now, nothing, until Lapis noticed something.

“The corruption. Its receding!” Lapis exclaimed.

“Keep him in there for a while more. Until the lines are gone.” Priyanka told everyone.

His body gave off a slight glow, his arm, legs, and even his gem, were glowing brighter than everything else. The corruption was being driven back. They kept him in the fountain for almost a full 5 minutes until Lapis looked under the water and examined Steven for any glowing spots. She popped her head back up with a smile.

“It's gone. Get him up.” she told everyone. Priyanka was hesitant.

“Are you sure? Completely gone? Absolutely?” Priyanka asked worryingly.

“Yeah, completely gone.” Lapis repeated, feeling offended about being second guessed. 

Amethyst, Lapis, and Peridot lifted Steven out of the water and just high enough for Priyanka to lift him out fully, and put him on the ledge of the fountain. Priyanka gave a full inspection of His arm and legs and deemed that they were corruption free, even though his legs looked a bit off. Connie sat on the ledge, and lifted Stevens head onto her lap. Sitting on a ledge, in the presence of a diamond, and Steven resting. All too familiar. Connie sat and stared at Steven, looking for any signs of him waking up, a couple more of tears landed on his head. It felt like a life time before his eyes began to twitch and slowly open. Everyone was sitting around waiting for him to finally wake up. And the moment Steven groaned, everyone became excited. He was alright. The fountain cured him of the corruption. Everyone, including Priyanka, hugged him tight, and were crying a bit. Stevens' voice was muffled for a moment.

“Back up, everyone, back up!” Priyanka shouted over everyone. Their hold over Steven loosened enough for Steven to gasp for air. 

“AIR!” Steven gasped loudly. “NEED! IT!”

Everyone backed up a little for Steven to breathe a bit, but then went back to hugging him, Priyanka being the closest, and possibly the main reason why he had trouble in the first place.

“Steven?” she whispered to Steven.

“Yes ma'am?” Steven asked nervously.\

“Don't you ever dare call my daughters boyfriend a freak.” She whispered in a low voice. “You are not a freak. You're a hero, Steven. You're our hero.”

Priyanka and Connie hugged Steven the hardest, with Steven shedding a tear of joy and relief.

 

 

"Wait. Boyfriend?" Steven asked out loud.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time; just because the storm is gone doesn't mean everything had blown over. Priyanka wants answers about what happened on Homeworld and Mask Island, and Steven, Connie, and Amethyst are willing to tell everything. at the same time, Priyanka has some things to tell the two, and it might test their relationship, and causes Steven to question more about who he really is. next post: Mother Issues, Part 2: What needs to be said. 
> 
> and here I thought we were done with the heavy stuff.....


End file.
